Cost of Living Comparison Between Villa María and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Villa María and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,203 per month in Villa María vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,018 per month in Villa María vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,832 per month in Villa María vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Villa María is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Villa María sits 12% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 ARS 25.8K

$8.03 COP 25.1K

112.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 ARS 81.2K

$48.26 COP 150.8K

11.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.40 ARS 18.7K

$9.77 COP 30.5K

26.92%

Cappuccino

$4.21 ARS 6,352

$2.91 COP 9,095

44.67%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ARS 3,590

$1.94 COP 6,074

22.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 ARS 2,679

$1.52 COP 4,754

17.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 ARS 5,370

$3.09 COP 9,663

15.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ARS 4,889

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-43.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ARS 1,830

$1.36 COP 4,262

-11.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 ARS 2,832

$2.39 COP 7,460

-21.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,298

$1.70 COP 5,314

-10.59%

Eggs

$2.40 ARS 3,625

$2.87 COP 8,967

-16.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 ARS 13.0K

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-12.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 ARS 10.8K

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-33.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 ARS 19.8K

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-10.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 ARS 3,515

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-43.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 ARS 2,937

$1.57 COP 4,911

24.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ARS 2,060

$2.13 COP 6,642

-35.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ARS 2,781

$2.21 COP 6,917

-16.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 ARS 1,634

$2.05 COP 6,396

-47.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 ARS 1,717

$1.50 COP 4,700

-24.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 ARS 2,541

$1.19 COP 3,718

41.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ARS 2,663

$1.16 COP 3,619

52.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 ARS 5,349

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-8.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.13 ARS 7,738

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-64.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ARS 2,736

$1.58 COP 4,948

14.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ARS 4,952

$2.83 COP 8,836

15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ARS 1,442

$1.17 COP 3,650

-17.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ARS 2,179

$1.28 COP 4,014

12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ARS 1,464

$2.09 COP 6,537

-53.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 ARS 12.7K

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-2.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ARS 2,036

$1.30 COP 4,056

3.85%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.0K ARS 40.7M

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-2.49%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.3K ARS 48.8M

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-8.95%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$79.5 ARS 120.0K

$176 COP 550.1K

-54.82%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.23 ARS 26.0K

$13.37 COP 41.8K

28.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 ARS 36.9K

$29.89 COP 93.4K

-18.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.75 ARS 41.9K

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-38.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$8.94 ARS 13.5K

$6.20 COP 19.4K

44.19%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$326 ARS 492.4K

$793 COP 2.5M

-58.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,984 ARS 6.0M

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-55.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.7 ARS 148.8K

$85.6 COP 267.5K

15.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$83.7 ARS 126.3K

$58.5 COP 182.7K

43.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ARS 198.4K

$136 COP 425.9K

-3.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ARS 179.9K

$103 COP 322.2K

15.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ARS 652.4K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-59.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ARS 505.2K

$680 COP 2.1M

-50.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$929 ARS 1.4M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-53.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$832 ARS 1.3M

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-28.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,629 ARS 4.0M

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-36.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

10.94

417.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Villa María: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Villa María versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Villa María versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in Villa María vs $303 in Medellin – so Villa María wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Villa María vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,805 per month in Villa María and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Villa María, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Villa María and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Villa María, where all-in costs run around $1,203, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Villa María it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Villa María – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Villa María. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.